Waking From Nightmares
by Oracle Phoenix
Summary: House is hospitalized again with blood clots in his leg. The difference, this time, is Cameron. HouseCameron obviously. Rating increased to M for language just to be safe.
1. Desperation

Waking From Nightmares 

**By: **Oracle Phoenix

**Rated: **T for teen (May be higher for language based on personal opinion)

**Genre: **Romance/Drama

Pairing: House/Cameron 

**Spoilers: **Anything is fair game. You have been warned.

**Summary: **House is hospitalized again with blood clots in his leg. The difference, this time, is Cameron.

**Disclaimer: **I obviously don't own House MD or any of its characters or plotlines. If I did, this story would be airing on TV rather than This is the longest I've ever stuck with a story, fanfic or otherwise and I'm pretty proud of it. I've tried to be as realistic medically as possible but there are bound to be mistakes. Please don't hold these against me. I'm not a med student after all. Reviews are appreciated and constructive criticism is welcome but please, no flaming. I fear my fragile ego would not survive the ordeal. :-D Enjoy!

All chapters have been updated since their first posting. I was trying to make it a little more realistic and fix some characterization issues. I would especially recommend reading this chapter again since some of the details and a lot of the dialog has changed. I hope it's a little more believable.

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**Chapter 1: Break Your Heart**

It had been an average day at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. The diagnostic medicine team had had only one admission but it was no easier than any other case they ever received. At 5:00 pm, House, Cameron, Chase, and Foreman were still gathered in the conference room grasping at straws. It had also been a long day; average but long. The entire team was exhausted and acutely aware that their patient was short on time. Tensions were running very high.

The group was silent for a moment, racking their brains for some crucial hint that might save the young woman dying on the next floor. In the semi-darkness of the room, lit only by the dying sun, Dr. House twitched and shifted uncomfortably. The pain in his leg had been worse than usual today and the Vicoden didn't seem to be doing its job. After a moment, he stood, hoping that moving would help ease the throbbing. Suddenly, the pain seared like lightning through his thigh and stars popped before his eyes. His breath caught in his throat and he felt himself pitch forward.

Cameron saw House begin to fall and grabbed him just in time. He struggled to put his feet beneath him but as he placed his right foot he was struck by another wave of unbearable pain and felt his muscles give way as the nerves flared. Cameron could no longer hold him and, instead, simply tried to cushion his fall. As she laid him on the floor, House curled in on himself, shaking in agony. All he could hear was blood pounding in his ears. All he could feel was pain.

Chase and Foreman had run over to Cameron who was kneeling beside House and were helping to hold him still while she checked his vitals.

"His heart is beating out of control. If we can't stop the pain, it's going to push him into cardiac arrest." Cameron's voice was level but urgent and her eyes betrayed her fear.

"Go get a stretcher and 15 mgs of Valium! Any more painkillers could damage his liver."

The two men ran out of the room and Cameron turned back toward House. She was surprised to see tears streaming down his face. He was soaking wet with cold sweat and his body was trembling all over. She laid a gentle hand on his back and spoke soft, reassuring words, hoping to calm him and wishing that she could soothe his pain. He summoned the strength to roll over and looked into her eyes.

He gasped for breath, panting hard. When he spoke, his voice was strained. "Please…stay. He groaned as a fresh wave of pain wracked his body. He wished she would hold him. He needed to be touched, to feel something other than the pain.

Cameron seemed to understand and if she was surprised, she didn't show it. She reached under his shoulders and lifted him into her lap; pulling him to her chest and smoothing his hair back from his forehead. After a moment, she felt his body tense even more and saw him grit his teeth. Tears sprung up in her eyes as he screamed in pain and she held him even tighter. Silently she prayed that Chase and Foreman would hurry back with the sedative and she begged a god she'd never known to slow his racing heart.

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Too many minutes later, Chase and Foreman reappeared with the stretcher and the meds. Greg House was beyond hearing them and his spasming muscles likely wouldn't have complied with their requests anyway, so he had to be held down while the shot was administered. As the sedative did its work and the pain began to seem more distant, House looked up at Cameron. His body was still tense and shaking but his breathing was quickly stabilizing. Cameron smiled gently at him.

"Close your eyes," she whispered. "Everything is going to be okay."

House let himself slip off into an exhausted sleep as Cameron ran her fingers gently through his hair. Once he was out cold she called the guys over with the stretcher.

"Hurry! It almost has to be another clot. He needs an emergency angiogram but don't start blood-thinners yet. We may need to go in and suck out the clot tonight."

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Ten minutes later, they crowded together reviewing the results of the angiogram.

"It's another clot. Two actually." Chase ran his hand through his hair. "We'll have to remove them tonight and then start him on blood-thinners to be safe."

"I'll prep him for surgery," Cameron said on her way out of the room.

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At 6:00 pm, House was in surgery. One of the clots had already been removed and blood was flowing better. Again, Chase ran the small tube into House's leg along with a camera probe.

"I can't find the second clot. I think it broke off."

"Damnit," Foreman groaned. "There's no way a clot that big just disappears. It's gonna do damage wherever it ends up. Find it!"

Suddenly, House's breathing became irregular and the monitors showed a dangerous spike in blood pressure and heart rate.

"I think we found it," Foreman said as alarms sounded from the monitors.

"Cardiac embolism?" Chase asked.

"Probably, but we need to check it before we cut. Cameron, take an ultrasound."

Cameron pulled the equipment over and began scanning House's chest cavity. "The clot has lodged in a vein near the right atrium. It's cutting off blood flow to his heart."

Foreman made the incision and ran the tube in while Cameron guided him with the ultrasound. When he reached the obstruction, he turned on suction in the tube and pulled backward, dragging the clot out carefully. The clot was out, the blood was flowing, and the ordeal was nearly over. They were just about to breathe a sigh of relief when House flat-lined and the monitors went crazy.

"V-fib" Chase shouted. "Get the paddles!"

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Three shocks did the trick. The monitors quieted and the doctors fell silent. Cameron looked at her boss' unnaturally pale face and felt the tears well up again in her eyes. His heart was beating so weakly that she could barely feel a pulse. Foreman let his shoulders slump and Chase laid his head against the wall. Their other patient had been completely forgotten.

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**A/N: **This part was really hard to write. I hate making House suffer so much but it was necessary to get the story on track. Things will get better for him eventually. I promise. Please R&R!


	2. Waking Up

**Disclaimer: **Alas, still, House MD and its characters belong to people more successful than I am.

A/N: Thank you so much for all the kind reviews!

**jeevesandwooster: ** I'm so glad you like the story. I loved "Candy is dandy, but" so I'm very flattered that you like my stuff too. Not too sure about the why, except that clots can form from just being generally unhealthy. Let's face it; our tragic hero is not out jogging and eating garden salads. :D As for Cam being involved, I figure that since his team were the ones that dealt with it (due to the emergency element) I could just keep them around to do my bidding. But that's just my fuzzy logic.

**Jackie: **Thank you! Hmm...my own eppy…wouldn't that be great? Also, as far as writing in scenes, I have to or I become hopelessly confused so I'm glad that works for you too. :D

**housefan:** V-fib. Got it. That always confused me. I fixed that and re-uploaded the chapter. Thanks for catching that.

As requested…here's Chapter 2! Enjoy!

Chapter Two: Waking Up 

Greg House slowly cracked his eyes open. Sunlight poured in through the blinds. This was clearly not his apartment. His mouth and lips were as dry as sandpaper and he was vaguely aware of a persistent ache in his leg.

For a moment, he just laid there, adjusting to being awake. Then he turned to look around him. He was at the hospital in a bed. _Wait, that isn't right…_ He fought to remember what had happened. He remembered being in the conference room with his ducklings. He remembered the woman they were trying to save. _I wonder if she made it through the night._ Again, he struggled against a grogginess that he couldn't explain.

He remembered pain. _There was so much pain._ House turned to the other side. On closer inspection, he realized he was not alone in the room. A small body was balled up in a chair by the bed. It was too small to be Wilson and the hair was too long. _Cameron?_ Suddenly, the memory came back clearly. The excruciating pain. Falling down. Cameron's arms around him. He had wanted so badly for her to hold him. Wanted to know what that felt like before he died. He'd been so sure he was going to die.

As he watched, Cameron stirred and looked up. She smiled at him and stretched.

"Hey." She sat forward on her chair and leaned toward him. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit. What happened?"

"Clots, two of them. We had to remove them surgically. Now we've got you on blood-thinners."

House sighed. "Again. Don't I have all the luck. But, there's something you aren't telling me."

"Well…you almost died…technically you did die. One of the clots made it to you heart. We were so scared. Your heart was so weak…" Cameron bit her lip and couldn't meet his eyes.

"That's bad, but it's not everything. You might as well tell me the rest." House was beginning to get nervous. He felt the weight of what was coming and braced himself, but not well enough.

"The clots did a lot of damage. It aggravated the old injury; made it worse. We...have no way of knowing if… you'll. ever walk again." Cameron spoke haltingly and couldn't look at him. Finally, she forced herself to look up.

House wasn't looking at her. He was distant and conflicting emotions warred on his face. He fought for a long moment but finally gave up and she saw a tear slide down his face just before he turned away from her completely.

Cameron felt her heart constrict and she moved to sit beside him on the bed. She wrapped her arms around him, trying to ignore the rigid set of his body. For the longest time, he didn't even acknowledge her.

"What can I do if I can't walk? Nothing. I'll _be_ nothing," he growled bitterly, biting out the words like poison in a hushed voice.

"Don't say that! It wouldn't be the end of the world. You're too damn stubborn for that and you know it. And besides, nothing is for sure yet. If we knew anything for sure at this point it would be a bad sign. You know that." She felt him relax a little in her arms.

It felt strange to hold him and even stranger to see him cry. She couldn't even fathom how lost he must feel. She only hoped he wouldn't emerge from this more bitter than ever once the initial shock wore off. Soon, the painkillers in the IV won out and he fell asleep again. Cameron shifted herself into a more comfortable position and held onto him for what she hoped would not be the last time he would let her. If he was angry that she had stayed, she would deal with it when he woke up.

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Several hours later, House opened his eyes a second time. He felt the weight of a body beside him. Cameron had fallen asleep lying next to him. He winced, remembering how he had cried when she told him that he might not be able to walk. What was he thinking, being so emotional in front of her? She probably saw him as nothing but an invalid who needed her to protect him. Well he didn't need her help and he didn't want it. Although it was quite comfortable with her arms wrapped around him the way they were…_no_! He wouldn't be pitied. Ever.

He shook her shoulder to wake her up. She stirred slightly in her sleep. On the second attempt, she opened her eyes and gazed at him warily.

"Look," he said, "What happened before…I was just a little freaked out. I'm fine now. You can go."

"I'm not here because I think you'll fall apart if I leave. I wanted to stay. And don't worry about before. You were upset. I'd have been concerned if you weren't."

"Yeah, well, all the same…you can leave any time now."

"I don't believe this! You're trying to get rid of me!" Her fears were being confirmed. He was trying to push her away.

"I just want to be alone right now. You don't need to take it so personally."

"You are _always_ alone. It hasn't worked so far."

"Just go. Please?"

"Fine. But I'm sending Wilson in."

House rolled his eyes as Cameron left the room. He couldn't believe it. They were _babysitting_ him!

**A/N: ** I fixed House so he wasn't quite so out of character but, even so, I realize that he might be a little bit but that is on purpose. I figure if this sort of thing did happen (a second time no less) he would reach out to someone as much as anyone else would. At least until the shock wore off. He's only human after all.


	3. Perspective

**Disclaimer: ** Okay, so I still don't own House and I still wish I did. This will be the last one of these since I think everyone gets the picture. :D

**A/N:** Thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers! You sure do know how to boost a girls' ego! I'm happy to know that House is in character. I do worry about him sometimes.

Without further ado…..Chapter 3!

Chapter 3: Perspective 

James Wilson walked in half an hour later with a condescending look on his face. He didn't say a word at first, just sat down, made himself comfortable, crossed his arms over his chest and stared at House. House started to fidget under his steady gaze.

"What?" House finally asked when he could no longer take the suspense.

"You're doing it again. I can't believe you're doing it again!" Wilson said, shaking his head.

"What are you talking about?"

"She adores you. She's smart, sweet, gorgeous, and she _adores_ you! _What_ is the problem?!"

"Oh. Cameron. Look, I could feel that woman's eyes pitying me in my sleep."

"Pity and giving a shit whether you live or die is not quite the same thing. You always did have trouble with that."

"So what would you have me do?"

"Well, not treating her like crap after all that she's done for you would be a good place to start."

House rolled his eyes. "She hasn't done _that_ much. Sure, she's been nice but let's not pretend that she even knows how _not_ to be nice."

"I beg to differ."

"I'm sure you do."

"I think you're missing the big picture here. _She_ gave the orders that saved your life…"

"That's her _job_."

"_She_prepped you for surgery…"

"Also her job."

"_She_ assisted that surgery…"

"Again. Her. Job."

"And she hasn't left this hospital in three days. She hadn't even left this room until you made her. She's just been sitting here watching the monitors."

"Yeah, well, no one asked her to." Greg's tone lacked bitterness though as he said this and the look on his face was tinged with mild regret.

Dr. Wilson softened his expression when he saw that he had struck a chord with his friend. He had hated seeing House in a hospital bed the first time this happened. It was even worse now. At times it seemed like only yesterday that Greg had been young, athletic, and, if not friendly, then at least relatively good-natured. On days like this, however, he often wondered if that impression had ever been real at all. He felt like he had lost his best friend in these last few years. He had gained a new one of course, but it would never be the same ever again. He sighed heavily.

"Well that's kind of the point isn't it? No one ever asked any of this from her but she came through for you anyway. She couldn't bear the thought of you waking up alone. You can't possibly hold that against her."

"What I don't get is why she likes me at all. I'm mean. I'm bitter. I'm completely unresponsive to all of her kindness…I just don't get it."

Wilson laughed. "Nobody does. I say, go with it."

House looked unconvinced.

"What I _do_ know," Wilson continued, "is that if you push her away now, you'll regret it forever. You're already miserable. What have you got to loose?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

There was a long pause and both of them stared at their hands, the walls, anything but each other. Both could feel the topic coming long before either pronounced it.

"You're going to be okay," said Wilson. "You always are. Now granted," he smiled, "it's a 'just barely' kind of thing most of the time, but you do get by."

"Not this time. Not if I can't walk. If I can't walk, I can't work. If I can't work, I'll just be waiting to die. Might as well get it over with."

"Shut up. Don't say that."

"Well if I'm not ever going to walk again…"

"You'll walk. I know you will. Remember, they said all of the same things last time that they're saying now and you walked anyway. Probably just to spite them, knowing you." Wilson chuckled.

"I don't remember…but then, there were a lot of painkillers involved. I doubt I'll remember much of this when it's all over." It was Greg's turn to grin.

The smile made Wilson breathe a sigh of relief. It told him that his friend actually would be okay and in spite of all his claims to the contrary, he had been worried for a moment there. For nearly 20 years, House had been like a brother to him. It bothered Wilson deeply to see him so miserable and withdrawn. He felt certain, though, that Dr. Cameron was the key to his friend's future and he had a feeling that if House ever walked again, she would be the biggest reason why. She could help House. She got to him somehow. But she couldn't do anything if Greg didn't let her.

**A/N:** I love writing for Wilson. He's such a cool character. Hope you like it. Please R&R!


	4. Reflection

**A/N: **Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I love you guys! You keep me updating!

Okay jeevesandwooster, I'm updating! Don't hurt me:D

Chapter 4: Reflection 

"I think you should just go home and get some sleep."

James Wilson and Allison Cameron were eating lunch in the hospital cafeteria. Wilson had sat talking with House for about an hour before getting called away on a case. Now he and Cameron were taking an opportunity to regroup and discuss the situation.

"He really doesn't want me anywhere near him does he?" Cameron's voice was meek and sad. It was hard being in love with someone who would rather you didn't exist.

"He doesn't know what he wants right now. He's even more miserable than usual. I'll talk to him about it later but I don't think you'd get anywhere with him at this point."

"Do you think he likes me at all? Be honest."

"Yes."

"Really?"

"I know he does. I caught him in the act of giving a damn once. Boy was his face red." Wilson grinned widely remembering how his supposed advance on Cameron had caught House so off guard over a year ago. "_Oh. Oh boy! You're in trouble!"_

Cameron smiled to herself. She was relieved to know that she hadn't been imagining things. It made her want to go back to him. He shouldn't be alone right now.

Wilson saw the look on her face and read it immediately. "You should listen to me Allison. You can't reach him now and it will only upset you both. Give him time. Try again tomorrow. Trust me on this."

Cameron sighed. "I just don't like to think of him sitting all alone; hurting and miserable."

"He wont be. I'm going back in a little while. I'll take some paperwork up there with me. Anyway, he probably doesn't want you to see him right now. See, as much as he pops his pills in people's faces, he's no more open with the actual reality of his pain than he is with emotions. He hates to seem weak or vulnerable to anybody. He was the same way with me last time but I sort of forced myself on him." He smiled. "Now I'm old news. By the end of this, you will be too but you need to pick your battles."

"You're right. I know you are. I just wish this were easier."

"Don't we all."

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Cameron found that she couldn't make herself leave the hospital without one last check on Dr. House. He seemed to be sleeping soundly when she looked through the glass so she ventured in closer. House was lying on his side and his eyes were closed when she came to stand by the bed. For the longest time she just stood there watching him sleep and thinking. She didn't bother to sit down. After another moment had passed, Cameron leaned down and planted a soft kiss on his forehead and squeezed his hand gently in hers. Then she turned and left the room.

As she walked away, House opened his eyes. He didn't say a word; just touched the spot where he had felt her lips and watched her go with mournful wonder.

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Allison staggered through her apartment door an hour later. She hadn't realized how tired she was until she had stopped working. Now, over an hour past her shift, she could barely stand up. She wandered into the kitchen, threw her keys onto the counter, and stuck her head in the refrigerator. Nothing. _Ugh…I'll have to go shopping this weekend._

She closed the refrigerator door, opened a cabinet, and grabbed the first thing she saw, which happened to be a box of crackers. Still eating the crackers, she gravitated toward the bedroom and a much-needed shower. She grabbed a towel out of the linen closet on the way.

Cameron's bathroom was attached to her bedroom. She left the box of crackers on the bedside table and headed in the direction of the shower. She turned the water on first to let it heat up and got herself undressed, kicking the clothes into a heap in the corner by the door. As Allison stepped into the spray, she felt her tired muscles relax automatically. She had really needed this. For a while she just stood there basking in the warm water before washing herself and turning off the faucet.

As she dried herself off, Cameron let her mind wander. She thought mostly about Greg House in his bed at the hospital. She wondered if Wilson was there with him now and if House would ever trust her enough for it to be her at his bedside at night.

She let this thought carry her to her bed and she bypassed her most recent novel in favor of her covers. Turning out the light, she allowed herself to slip into a restful sleep.

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Across town, at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, a light remained on in Room 228. Greg House was unable to sleep and unwilling to share his strange encounter a few hours earlier with Wilson. His best friend sat quietly by the bed, engrossed in his charting. Neither man spoke but both appreciated the company.

**A/N:** Okay, so there was a small bit of fluff in this chapter, which makes me happy. Hope it makes you happy too. I live for small bits of fluff. :D Keep the reviews comin people! I live for those too!


	5. Playing Hooky

**A/N: **Hello party people! Okay, so um…Reader's digest version…Writer's block, lost notebook, found notebook, more writer's block, lost computer, lost internet, gained laptop, more writer's block, lost laptop, regained laptop, eventually regained internet, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. To tell the truth, it was a long time before I even so much as looked at this story and I'M SORRY! I've just been venturing into the wild world of Willy Wonka (Johnny Depp) fan fiction and got mercilessly sidetracked. It doesn't help that I haven't had a clue what to do with this thing since the end of season one. Because of that, by the way, this story only agrees with cannon up through season two. From there, it will be largely AU. Considering the timing, by the end of this season, the story would be out of date anyway. Such is life.

Before continuing this, you may want to go back and take a look at previous chapters since I've gone back and changed some dialogue to make characterization more realistic.

Alright, now that that's out of the way, on with Chapter…uh…which one are we on again? Oh, right… LOL

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Chapter Five: Playing Hooky 

The next day at 1:00pm, Cameron walked into Room 228 to check House's vitals. She hadn't seen him yet and she was slightly nervous. When she looked up from the clipboard, she saw him awake and sitting up in bed. He was staring at the wall in front of him and only acknowledged her presence when she spoke.

"Hey there. Feeling any better?" she asked.

"Not as such, no. You aren't staying are you?"

Cameron rolled her eyes. She hated being pushed out the door.

"Nope, strictly business this time," she said, making note of the monitors by his bed. As she looked away she missed seeing his face fall slightly at this news.

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He had done it. He had pushed her away from him. It was what he had hoped would happen, of course. He hadn't wanted to deal with her. So why did he suddenly feel like such a shit?

He realized with a jolt that he wanted her with him. He didn't want her to go. He needed to think fast and choose his words carefully. That way, hopefully, he could bring her back without giving himself away.

"So, what have they got you doing today…besides this?"

"Today is clinic day," Cameron said without enthusiasm.

"Weee," House replied, almost matching her zeal. "You should skip."

"I can't do that."

"Sure you can. I do it all the time. Look, just tell Cuddy that you're _so _worried about me that you can't focus on work. She'll believe you. It's me she doesn't trust."

"Well, then she'd kind of expect me to be in here wouldn't she?"

"So? I don't bite. Get a book. Pull up a chair. I don't care." House's invitation was nonchalant and he looked away disinterestedly. He didn't care if she stayed or not. He studied her surreptitiously, though, from the corner of his eye.

Cameron was dumbfounded. Just a moment ago he had seemed not to even want her in the room. Now, suddenly, he was telling her to skip off work and hang out with him. It just didn't add up.

"What's this?" she asked. "Just yesterday you were practically beating me out the door. Now you want me to _stay_?"

"I'm trying to get you out of work. This is not as scandalous as you're making it out to be."

"You trying to help someone for no reason is, in fact, more scandalous than most things. Besides, I'm not allergic to the clinic like you are."

"I'm not going to beg you."

"That remains to be seen. Look, I'll stay, but if I do, it's because you want me to, not so I can miss work."

House paused. "Fine."

"What?! Cuddy wont keep that quiet. Everyone will know soon enough!"

"That's okay. No one will believe her anyway."

Cameron smiled. "I'll be right back."

House couldn't believe he had just agreed to her terms. He had surrendered! That girl would be the death of him. Or the death, at least, of his hard-earned reputation. Damn her!

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Cameron knocked on the smooth glass door of Dr. Lisa Cuddy's office and then entered. Cuddy raised her head and smiled.

"Dr. Cameron. How are things on your end?"

"Fine, I guess."

"How's House?"

"He's House…I'm not really sure. I mean, he's not really the type to go around sharing his feelings is he?" She chuckled nervously. "I think he's okay…most of the time. Doesn't stop me from worrying about him. If his leg ends up any worse…" Cameron trailed off and shrugged helplessly.

"You're not the only one. You should have seen how protective he was of it the first time. Like a wild horse whose leg was his only hope of survival."

"Speaking of him…I was wondering if someone else could take my clinic shift today. You won't believe this, but he wants me to sit with him for a while."

"You're kidding right?" Cuddy laughed. "Doesn't exactly sound like him."

"Yeah. I guess he's bored. At first he told me to use him as an excuse to skip clinic duty but I reminded him that that might actually require me to be in the same room with him some of the time. All of a sudden he's all fine with that when just the other day he couldn't wait to get me out the door. I just couldn't figure it out, but I told him that I would only stay because he actually wanted me to. Not on some pretense of skipping work. He thought it over for a second and said, "Fine."

Cuddy shook her head in wonder. "Unbelievable. How were his vitals?"

The question pulled a laugh from Cameron in spite of her lingering confusion and the doubts still bouncing around in her head. "Normal. All normal."

"No kidding? Wow. Well, as far as clinic duty is concerned, I'll find someone to take your place. You're so good about always making your hours; I'm not worried about you missing a few."

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Just a few minutes later, Allison Cameron sat curled in a chair by House's bed. Neither of them had said much since her return but the quiet was a comfortable one and conversation didn't seem necessary. House had the TV on low, watching General Hospital while Cameron focused on the book that she had ignored the night before. She had barely been able to suppress a smile when he had switched on the soap. She still found it hilarious that such a brilliant doctor could be so fascinated by the petty love affairs of cheesy, daytime TV characters. Before she could stop herself, a question had slipped out.

"What's with the soap anyway?"

His eyes were on her now and she found herself hoping fervently that curiosity only killed cats and not Immunologists.

He shrugged dismissively after a moment and turned back to the screen. "Something to do. Got hooked on it last time this happened. Stacy couldn't take the heat…couldn't take me," he amended with slightly less venom, "and eventually she left for good. It was something to pass the time." The silence returned but there was nothing comfortable about it now. He seemed to realize just how much he'd said and was apparently planning to avenge himself by making her every bit as uncomfortable as he was.

"Ah. Makes sense." She didn't dare say more and although her heart had constricted at the reminder of just how lonely he was, she knew any display of emotion on her part would be violently rejected. Instead, she returned to her book and took note of how quickly he relaxed when he realized the topic was closed. Sometimes it was just easier to leave him to his comfort zone, she mused.

House turned up the volume a little on the TV and they both breathed a silent sigh of relief, knowing they had each dodged a bullet. Of their own making perhaps, but bullets just the same.

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Greg House wasn't looking at Dr. Cameron but he could feel her presence at his side. He was watching General Hospital but he wasn't paying attention. All he could think about was the night before and the way his heart had raced at her touch. It was a disconcerting feeling and it persisted even now. He wanted to ask her why she had done it but was unwilling to admit to her that he had been awake at the time.

In the past, she had told him that she liked him but he had always figured that it was a passing phase brought on by that infuriating Mother Teresa complex that she always seemed to carry around. And he had told her as much. It had been nearly two years since their failed date and he had heard little about it since. Last night, however, her kiss and her touch had contained an affection and a sentimentality that he had not felt in almost seven years. Acting on impulse, he turned to look at her.

"Sorry I kicked you out yesterday," he said gruffly. "I'm…I'm glad you're here."

This was the last conversation that he wanted to be having right now but he figured it was probably necessary if he wanted to keep her around long enough to figure out what was going on in his head. He hoped that she would have the courtesy to make it a quick and painless one now that the ball was in her court.

She looked up. "Um…thank you. No hard feelings," she said softly, ducking her head with a small smile.

She smiled. He had made her smile. His heart soared in spite of everything. Why did he suddenly feel so desperate to make her happy? _'It's like high school all over again,_' he thought. _'Dear God. I hated high school.'_

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Thanks for reading! Please R&R!


	6. Closer Together

**A/N**: When I initially wrote this chapter and read through it, I realized it was a complete trainwreck. Hopefully I've managed to fix it since then. If not, I suppose you'll just have to feed me to the wolves. It happens. I understand. ;)

**Alisoba:** I agree. This chapter is fluffy too but I'm trying to get them headed in a certain direction so I'm intentionally pushing the boundaries that the show gives us for their characters. Check out my sub-plot 'Visitors' (uploaded today also). That should keep you happy in banter-land while I muddle through this part. LOL Glad you're enjoying it though.

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**Chapter Six**: **Closer Together**

A week later, physical therapy began in earnest. The stretches and exercises, though still done in bed, left House pale and shaking with pain. During this time, Cameron often attempted to stay with him but her support was rarely accepted. At times, even Wilson was run out of the room, threatened by pain of death. In spite of these abuses and the fact that they were rarely, if ever, summoned, Wilson and Cameron always remained nearby and available to their friend should he need them.

After one particularly grueling session about a month later, during which the therapist had gotten him up to try walking, House was particularly morose as Cameron wheeled him back to his room. He had fallen several times and was no closer to being able to walk, with or without a cane. Even his usual sarcasm was absent. All he could do was grit his teeth against the pain and try to pretend that his employee hadn't just watched him fall flat on his face. At least now Cameron knew better than to try to make conversation. She had been annoying the first few times even though he had known that she meant well. Especially because he had known that she meant well.

Unfortunately, he couldn't dismiss her because Cuddy, treacherous cow that she was, had specifically assigned Cameron the job of carting his ass around. It didn't seem to matter what he thought of the arrangement. Apparently, Cuddy was pulling rank on him.

They reached room 174, the room he'd been moved into to recuperate now that he no longer warranted the ICU, and Cameron helped him up out of the wheelchair. He hated this part more than anything else. He put all of his weight on his good leg in an attempt to lean on her as little as possible. The last thing he wanted to do was win himself more sympathy, least of all from her. Cameron got him into the bed and he shuddered with pain as he lifted his right leg. He hated the sad look on her face as he struggled to cope.

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Cameron felt sick with pity as she watched House fight down the wave of pain. She knew that there was nothing in the world that her boss hated more than pity but she couldn't help it. It hurt her deeply to see him suffering so much. She wanted to comfort him, to make it better somehow, but he would never allow such a thing. She had learned quickly not even to ask. Instead, she got out a Vicodin and handed it to him along with a cup of water. He ignored the cup and swallowed the pill dry.

She sat down, uninvited, in a chair by his bed and he stared at her in surprise and consternation. She wasn't sure what she planned to say or do, all she knew was that there was something inexplicable between them and she wasn't ready to give up on it yet. His eyes glittered a dark blue today. They were so changeable, she mused. She loved his eyes; a fact she kept very close to her vest.

The pair of them continued to look at each other, neither really wanting to look away. Cameron found herself lost in his gaze, not for the first time. She wondered how no one could see what she saw in him. Such a remarkable person; such a shame he couldn't see it in himself. After a while, House broke the silence unexpectedly.

"Why are you doing this? Why can't you leave anything alone?"

"What is it you think I'm trying to do exactly? Break you into pieces?"

"You think you can fix me but…"

"Oh will you give it a rest," she cut in sharply. "I'm not trying to change you! Believe it or not, I actually _like_ you! Shocking I know."

"Just a little bit." He looked away. He never was able to look anyone in the eye when it counted.

"Why? What's _so_ _wrong _with you that…"

"I don't deserve you," he spat out bitterly before he could stop himself. "You're perfect and I'm just…"

Surprise turned to affection on Cameron's face and she shook her head gently. "Nobody's perfect." She paused. "Why do you think I like you? Do you really think that I just have some messiah complex? That I have to save you?"

"That's the theory I've been operating on…yes."

"But you're so much better than that. You're more than your personal problems…vast as they may be…" She smiled.

"I don't think I'm really the guy you'd like to believe I am."

"That's okay. Apparently you've got me wrong too. We'll just have to work on it I guess. What I do know, is that love isn't perfect. It isn't easy. And I don't expect it to be. If you want me, if you need me, then that's good enough for me. And I'll be here. And I'll stay. I really will." She reached out for his hand, hoping against hope that he wouldn't pull away.

He eyed her carefully for a moment and then reached slowly for her hand. They sat like that, awkwardly for a while and then, hesitantly, almost cautiously, he pulled her toward him. Cameron rose and sat beside him on the edge of the bed. He protested mildly when she moved to touch his face.

"Just let me. I promise not to tell everyone what a softy you turned out to be." She grinned.

"Yeah, right…that's me. Just a great big ball of love and hope and cute fuzzy bunnies."

She leaned against his shoulder and felt him lay his hand tentatively against her back. It felt good to be near him again. He made her feel calm and strong and happy. One day she hoped that she could make him understand that. After a moment, he wrapped his arms around her, curious to know what it would feel like to hold her. She relaxed against him and he had to fight back a smile. He could get used to this.

Outside in the hallway, Dr. James Wilson, had been about to enter his friends' room when a very welcome sight brought him up short. Now he only grinned widely and turned to go. _'Those two just might be okay after all,'_ he thought.

**A/N: **Woohoo! My writers block seems to have passed. Maybe now I can actually make some progress on this thingy. Hope you enjoyed it. Please R&R!


	7. Setbacks

**A/N: **This chapter's a little longer than the last one, which is funny cuz I thought it was shorter for some reason. Anyway, this is one of my favorites so far so I hope you guys like it too. Enjoy!

**jeevesandwooster: **Yeah, wouldn't want anyone to get cavities. ;) Glad to see you came back. Apologies about the wait but hopefully it won't happen again. I've got a backlog of six chapters on this puppy from when I couldn't get an internet connection. I'm not releasing them all at once because I figure it'll give me time to write more and keep things moving. But rest assured, I've got you covered. :D

**darklady26: **Yeah, it's a hard spot for her to be in because she does care so much about him but isn't sure how much of that she can safely reveal. She doesn't want to fix _him_ but that doesn't mean there aren't things she wishes she could change _for _him. That will come into play later.

**Alisoba: **Good to hear that I kept things even for you. Sometimes it's hard to balance what you _want_ to happen and what you realize would _actually_ happen and House is the hardest to keep in character in those circumstances. So I win some and lose some but I always try. If I ever get too far out of cannon, feel free to gently prod me back in and I'll re-evaluate the dialog I've got planned. It's my ultimate goal to be faithful to the source. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.

To everyone else who reviewed…thanks so much for your input and support. You guys are the reason I picked this up again after so long and you keep me writing. You rock!

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**Chapter Seven: Setbacks**

"Cameron…" House paused and looked at her closely, apparently coming to some decision. "Go to my office and get my cane."

Cameron leaned back in the visitor chair and crossed her arms, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"Pleeease…" he whined sarcastically, favoring her with the lopsided grin that always won her over no matter how bad an idea she thought he was pushing on her.

She wondered what was going through his head. It had been several weeks and the therapy was progressing well but House was still nowhere near as strong as he had been. He could only shuffle around with support on both sides and his right leg still wouldn't carry much weight. Even now, it was hard to tell if he'd ever walk with just the cane again but the prognosis was getting better all the time. It seemed odd to her that he would ask for the cane when he couldn't use it yet. She gave him another hard look, the one that always meant she was trying to figure him out, then shrugged and got up to leave the room.

"Thank you," he said in a way that clearly meant, 'God, it took you long enough.' She didn't bother looking back.

When she returned a few minutes later, she found him sitting on the edge of the bed. He had been looking better lately and she could tell that the pain wasn't as bad anymore. Relief flooded through her each time she thought about it. She handed him the cane and stood back, watching him intently.

"Why…?" she began, but he cut her off.

"Help me up."

He started to stand up and she made a grab for him, steadying him.

"What are you doing?!" she practically shouted at him in surprise.

"I'm gonna give this walking thing another go. If I'm stuck in here one more minute I'll end up having to kill someone. Trust me. It's for the best."

"You shouldn't be doing this. You're not ready."

"But I'm bored," House whined.

"You're stubborn."

"I always suspected."

"I don't know what you expect will happen…If you can't walk yet then you just can't. This is just going to make you feel like crap."

"I thought hope springs eternal and you can do anything you put your mind to," House said mockingly, narrowing his eyes. "Not thinking of hanging up your pom-poms are you?"

"Maybe just this once…"

"I think you've been around me too long."

"And you've obviously been spending too much time with me…but look, I just don't want you to hurt yourself."

"Why not?" he asked with a shrug. "The physical therapist hurts me every day and you seem okay with that. I'm just…taking initiative."

"Well, because you're a stubborn ass I'm not going to waste my breath trying to talk you out of something you're just gonna do anyway…"

"Well, gee, am I glad we got _that_ out of the way," he cut in sarcastically.

"I just want to go on the record saying that this is a very bad idea."

"Noted. Now get on my left side and make yourself useful."

Cameron rolled her eyes and moved to where he wanted her. It was all she could do not to grab him and hold him in place when he went to take his first step. As it turned out, she wished she had. The moment House attempted to plant his right foot, he let out a cry of pain that startled Cameron so badly she didn't think to catch him and he hit the floor full force. His cane went sliding across the room and he lay sprawling face-down on the cool linoleum tile. He rolled onto his back, keeping his eyes closed for a moment, waiting for the pain to subside. When a minute or so had passed in silence, Cameron began to worry. She stepped over tentatively to have a look at him.

Before she had the chance to kneel beside him, his eyes snapped open and he glared at her.

"Damnit Cameron," he growled. "You were there for a reason you know."

His harsh tone cut Cameron like a knife and she winced involuntarily. She examined her hands and managed to squeak out a quiet 'Sorry'.

"I didn't think I needed to clarify 'useful'," he grumbled as he propped himself up on his elbows.

"I was shocked when you cried out."

"Yeah, and I was shocked when my head smacked into the floor…All in all a very surprising little adventure."

Cameron folded her arms over her chest, a pained expression on her face.

"Oh, unclench. Please" He rolled his eyes. "I'm the one on the floor and she's the one about to start bawling," he muttered incredulously to himself. He closed his eyes once more and lay back down. An awkward silence stretched between them until Cameron broke it nervously.

"Are you…going to get up?"

"Working on it." House struggled to sit up and seemed to take inventory for a moment. "Hmm…all good. Nothing broken. Breathe Allison." He smirked up at her, having decided to quit scaring the crap out of her. The ghost of a smile flitted across her face. He paused as if waiting for something, then, "Well…you're gonna have to help me up."

"Oh, right. Sure." She seemed to have been shocked back to reality.

"It _is_ a good thing you decided to go into Immunology…You'd have made a lousy physical therapist," House said with a humorous gleam in his eyes. Cameron just sighed and shook her head.

She supported House as he dragged himself back to his feet, wincing and shuddering in pain as weak, damaged muscles were flexed and stressed. It annoyed him that he was thinking longingly of the time when he could hop up one-legged by just darting his left leg under his body and popping up. That should _not_ be considered a high point. She continued holding onto his waist while he caught his breath. He was leaning heavily on her but she gave no indication that she noticed.

"Well, hey, at least you managed to get up. That's something anyway."

"Yeah, great. Just fucking beautiful. I'll be sprinting in no time," he huffed.

Cameron leaned her head against his chest, sighing in defeat. His color was better and his face looked less drawn, but she could feel so many of the bones in his body. He had lost a lot of weight in the hospital. She supposed he wasn't eating very much. What on Earth was she going to do with him?

"Do you even eat anymore?" she asked, changing the subject and running her fingers over slightly protruding ribs.

"I might if the food here was even close to edible…I haven't been very hungry," he finished lamely.

"Your body begs to differ," she said, surveying him with a critical eye. "You might be making more progress if you were eating. I can't imagine you have much strength."

"I'm fine."

"Yeah, right."

House rolled his eyes. "I'll live. Let it go."

Cameron helped him over to the bed and they sat down side by side. She snaked an arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. "Don't give up. You'll walk again. I'm sure of it."

"I'd better." He didn't return her embrace but he relaxed into it slightly. _'Good enough for now,'_ she thought with a tiny smile.

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**A/N: **As always, please R&R if you get a chance. I live for feedback. 


	8. Home Bound

**A/N: **Wow, I can't believe I've made it to chapter eight! The world stops. Gasp, shock, and surprise.

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**Chapter Eight: Home Bound**

After almost two degrading months in the hospital's long term care unit, Greg House was deposited unceremoniously in front of his apartment by Wilson, who knew that if he made a big deal out of it, it would only annoy his friend. House could not have been more relieved to be home.

It was the middle of winter and the place was freezing when he opened the door but everything was where he'd left it and the sight of it was welcoming enough to make up for the cold. He left his jacket on and dialed up the thermostat, trying to shake off the shame of the walker he'd been forced to use to get him through the door. At least now they were sure he'd make it back to the cane eventually. _Oh joy._ He rolled his eyes at the thought.

With nothing better to do, and still too tired to do anything constructive, he eased himself onto the couch and turned on the TV. Good thing Wilson had made sure his bills were paid up. He propped his feet up on the coffee table, handling his right with care, and settled on the most mindless show he could find. Leaning back, he stared at the ceiling. It would be at least another month before he would be able to use his cane again and even then he would be slower than an eighty year old for who knew how long. He didn't know for sure when he'd be getting back to work. He wasn't even cleared for strenuous exercise yet. That didn't really matter anyway. He hadn't been able to do sports in years and he wasn't exactly Mr. Fixit. Sex would be nice he mused with a leer. He wasn't desperate enough yet to call for a hooker. But by the time they deemed him ready, he probably would be.

Unbidden, Cameron came to his mind. He had no intention of using her for any cheap thrills but that begged the question…what _was_ he going to do with her? Their relationship, if you could call it that, was an odd one; based mostly on the circumstances. What would happen now that he was home? It had been weird having her around so much at the hospital. Nice weird, but weird just the same. One thing was for certain, he wouldn't be going out of his way to see her for a while. It had been bad enough, tottering around in front of her in the hospital. She didn't need to see him using a walker to get around his own home.

He looked around the room hoping something would catch his interest. What had felt like such a great reprieve suddenly felt more like a prison sentence. There was nothing here for him. Again, his thoughts turned to Cameron and he hated that he missed her already.

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A week later, House was sitting at the piano when he heard a knock at the door. He stood up carefully and made his way across the room leaning on furniture. He'd had Wilson help him rearrange the apartment so he'd need the walker as little as possible. Just the sight of it sitting in the corner made him vaguely ill. As if the cane hadn't been bad enough.

He reached the door and peered through the peephole. It was Cameron, trying and failing to not look concerned. He sighed and steeled himself for an awkward encounter. He still hadn't decided where he wanted this thing between them to go, or if he wanted it to continue at all. To be honest, he'd been avoiding it. With a last deep breath, he opened the door.

For a moment, neither of them said anything. They just stared at each other, wondering what to do next. Finally, Cameron spoke.

"Hey," she said meekly. "I haven't heard from you since you left the hospital…I was just wondering what had happened to you.

"I've been busy."

"No you haven't," she stated simply.

"True."

Her gaze shifting downward to where his right hand usually grasped his cane. "Did you make it over here on your own?" She looked surprised.

House didn't say anything at first. He just opened the door wider to allow her in. She looked around a little shyly and spotted the walker in its spot in the corner.

House cleared his throat. "I've been using the furniture." He indicated the walker. "We're not on speaking terms."

His obvious discomfort took away some of her own nervousness and she crossed the distance between them, placing her hands on his shoulders and running them down over his chest. She looked up into his eyes, light blue today…almost white, and smiled reassuringly at him.

"This will pass," she promised him, "and things will go back to the way they were. You've got nothing to be ashamed of you know. You're getting stronger fast. You'll be back to tormenting nurses and patients alike soon enough." She smiled but it seemed sad somehow and he wondered why.

There was a time, not long ago, when House would have cut her off short and given her hell for this little speech but today he only stared at her. He was in unfamiliar territory now, he realized. Cameron was nothing like Stacy and he was at a loss. Again he wondered why she looked so sad…and then it dawned on him.

"And what about you?" he asked. "Where do you factor into all this?"

"I was actually thinking of asking you the same thing…"

House was silent for a very long time; thinking hard. "You're 27…so, in four years you'll be 31. …And I will be 50. Is that really what you want? To end up stuck with some fifty-year-old cripple with a drug addiction and an attitude problem? "

"To still be here, with you, in four years time… That _is_ what I want." House looked incredulous. "You're more than you think you are, House. So you're not the Ken-doll version of perfect that everybody paints me with. So what? If I'm breaking some law by picking you then it was a stupid rule to begin with. I'm _happy_ with you. _You_ make me happy. What more is there?"

"Well then." House swallowed hard to rid himself of the annoying lump that had formed at the back of his throat. "I guess that's settled. Just wait til everyone finds out you've lost your mind. They're going to be _so_ disappointed."

"Just…shut up already," said Cameron, rising up onto her tiptoes to brush her lips against his.

House was caught completely off guard and for a moment he couldn't do anything. He just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that sweet, innocent little Cameron had made the first move. It only took a second for him to catch on though and he leaned in to deepen the kiss. Two and a half years worth of tension and built up energy were released in that electric contact and it nearly tore them apart. House wrapped his arms around Cameron's thin body, one hand tangling into her hair, the other holding onto her for dear life. Cameron snaked her arms around his neck, pulling herself as close to him as possible. Love, lust, and desperation were poured out and left them breathless.

They pulled apart enough to catch their breath and stared at each other in shock. Neither one of them had expected so much emotion to come from the other and they were shaken by the power of it. House took it upon himself to end the moment.

"Do you do weddings and bar mitzvahs?" He hid behind his sarcasm. He wasn't sure what else to do. But Cameron understood and she grinned and rolled her eyes. She let her arms fall from his neck and wrapped them around his waist, leaning her head against his chest. There, she could hear his heart beating fast and it told her all she needed to know.

"So…what do you want to do?" he asked. It was his way of inviting her to stay and she took it.

"Doesn't matter to me."

"I ask you like there are loads of choices…hmm...I have a TV. Let's watch TV."

"Sounds like a plan."

As they walked to the couch Cameron kept her arm around his waist so he could lean against her without being embarrassed. Once they sat down she got comfortable and relaxed against him as he turned on the TV.

House cleared his throat and looked at her sideways. "You're…pretty good at that, you know." He grinned a little sheepishly.

"You're not half bad yourself."

Cameron was chuckling softly and he realized that she knew she'd gotten to him. House sighed in defeat. She had been bound to find out eventually. After all, she had gotten to him a long time ago.

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**A/N: **And there you have it folks. The first kiss. It was kinda funny actually…I didn't know they were gonna do it til they just did it. Surprised me too. Anyway, hope you liked it. Please R&R. 


	9. Uncertain Certainty

**A/N: **This chapter just underwent a major lengthening with a whole bunch of new dialog. It was going to be under 1,000 words but I decided I couldn't do that to you guys. :D

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**Chapter Nine: Uncertain Certainty **

The next day, House sat on his couch next to Wilson. They stared straight ahead at the TV apparently watching it but Wilson was actually deep in thought. Finally, he turned to House with raised eyebrows and asked, "She really kissed you?"

"She told me to shut up and then she kissed me," House replied with the air of someone who was sick of repeating himself. His eyes never left the TV.

"This is a big deal. She kissed you and you kissed her back and she stayed…This is a really big deal."

"Oh will you stop," House grumbled. "We are not in junior high. At least I'm not."

"Hey, I'm just happy for you. You should be too. You've really been pathetic long enough at this point. Time to try something different."

"And you're thinking it's time to try Cameron, I suppose."

"Considering that you invited her to stay I'm thinking you're thinking it too."

"We didn't do anything. I told you that."

"But I'm guessing you were both thinking about it pretty hard."

"Yeah, well _you _wouldknow." House rolled his eyes. "We watched TV…"

"…Curled up together on the sofa."

House sat forward and stared at Wilson. "I never told you that."

"I've learned to read between the lines." Wilson grinned.

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On Monday, Wilson came to work looking especially smug, with a plan to seek out Cameron ASAP. He didn't have to look far. He watched her showing a patient out of a clinic exam room with her trademark smile and wondered, not for the first time, what she could possibly see in his cynical, wise-ass friend. With a shake of his head, he put this out of his mind. The important thing was that she saw it and she was prepared to do something about it. He just hoped House didn't screw it up too badly.

"Doctor Cameron," Wilson called to flag her down. "What's new?" he asked once she had started toward him.

"Oh, nothing much…" She tried to look innocent, which just made her look guilty and Wilson decided to cut to the chase.

"House told me about Saturday," he said simply.

"Did he? So much for not kissing and telling," she replied with a smile.

"Yes, well, he was never good at that to begin with." Wilson paused. "It happens so rarely…he gets excited."

This pulled a laugh from Dr. Cameron. "Oh yeah, I'm sure he called you up right after I left for 'girl talk'."

"Well, no…but he did tell me to come over on Sunday. See, guys don't have 'girl talk'. Instead, we prefer to discuss most serious matters while staring at a TV and pretending not to be paying attention. It saves our manhood."

"So, what? Do your testicles shrivel up and fall off if you make eye contact?" she asked with a smirk.

Wilson looked at her sideways, one eyebrow raised. It was always a bit of a shock when Cameron got sarcastic but he answered with as much seriousness as he could muster given the subject matter. "We figure it's possible. No one's ever tried it as far as I know."

"That explains a lot. I'll have to remember that."

"So…about House…" Wilson pressed.

"I don't know. He's House. One day he's curled up with you on the sofa, the next he's throwing you out because you got in too deep and he panicked. I never know what to expect from him. I don't know what comes next." She shrugged, looking resigned.

Wilson was taken aback by such a repressive answer and the pensive look now lingering on Cameron's face. Had House done something to upset her? It wouldn't be out of character but he hoped not.

"Then…why do you want to be with him?" he asked cautiously.

"Because I love him."

"That's a pretty funny response to someone you love."

"I guess House just has me always waiting for the other shoe to drop. When he does something great…well, he isn't really above taking it back, is he? I know he doesn't do it to hurt anyone, but…I'm just very aware that I'm on thin ice right now. I'll be happier when it feels a bit thicker, that's all."

Wilson nodded slowly, beginning to understand. "I've known House a long time. He's hard to live with, but he'd never do anything actually intending to hurt you."

"I know that he's a decent guy. I wouldn't feel the way I do about him if he weren't. It's never been the things he does that I'm afraid of. Sometimes, though, I worry about what he _won't_ do."

Wilson smiled. "He'll open up to you eventually. It's like I told you months ago; he just has to trust you first. And that's not something he does well. But he'll come around." He stopped a moment, considering her. "He loves you, you know."

"Does he?" She looked uncertain but hopeful.

"More than he's loved anyone in a long time."

"Well, then that's good enough for me." She, too, started to smile again and Wilson breathed a silent sigh of relief.

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Later that day, Cameron was picking up a file at the nurse's station when she suddenly got the feeling someone was standing behind her. She turned and found Chase and Foreman waiting patiently for her to turn around. She raised her eyebrows, inviting them to explain what they were doing and Foreman was the first to speak.

"So…" he began casually. "How's House doing?"

Cameron froze and stared at him. "How did you…"

"Ha! I knew it! What'd I tell you?" He turned to Chase who just smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "I saw you and Wilson huddled up this morning and figured it had to be about House. You actually went to see him didn't you?"

"Maybe."

"You're so predictable."

In that moment, Cameron decided to throw caution to the wind, if only to make them shut up for a second or two. "I kissed him," she said, just as casually as if she were commenting on the weather. She turned back to the file.

There was a brief pause, as if they hadn't heard her. Then, "You _what_?"

"Then we watched TV together for a while."

"I knew you were spending a lot of time with him while he was here, but…I thought you were over him."

"Guess not," Cameron answered conversationally.

"This is a mistake. Just like the _last_ time."

"And like I said the last time, I'm allowed to sexually harass my…you know, he's not even really my boss right now. …I can do whatever I want to him," she finished with a satisfied smirk.

The two men stared after her, shaking their heads as she walked away.

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"Doctor Wilson," Dr. Lisa Cuddy called down the hall.

Wilson stopped and turned around.

"What's this I hear about House and Cameron? I heard some nurses saying they were having sex in the parking lot." She smirked, knowing there was no way the nurse had heard right but curious as to the source material.

"_My_, that rumor progressed quickly," said Wilson, in something like awe.

"Well, we are professionals. So what actually happened? I know you know. You're friends with both of them."

"Cameron went to his apartment to check on him and they ended up kissing and spending the evening together curled up on the sofa." He threw in the 'curled up on the sofa part' simply because he knew how much it would piss House off when it got back to him. Wilson amused himself for a moment, picturing how House would react when he found out that the whole hospital was talking freely about his love life in the absence of his hostile presence.

Cuddy was still smirking. "I hope Cameron knows what she's getting in to."

"She doesn't. But I think she's prepared for it anyway."

"Have you heard about the betting pool?"

"Betting pool?"

"How long they'll stay together."

Wilson laughed. "That didn't take long either."

"Want me to place your bet?"

"No," Wilson sighed but continued to grin. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"So, in other words…fingers _and _toes crossed."

The two of them chuckled as they headed for their cars on their way home, both silently wishing the new couple well even as they prepared for the inevitable.

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**A/N: **Hope you liked it. Please let me know what you think. 


	10. Strained Tempers

**A/N: **Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! You guys make my day! I decided it was time for some angst. So, here we go...

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**Chapter Ten: Strained Tempers**

House muttered a curse under his breath as he hit the floor for the fifth time that day. The physical therapist had stopped speaking to him half an hour ago and had given up trying to instruct him long before that. She was now sitting at her desk at the other end of the room catching up on paperwork and pointedly ignoring him, her lips pursed tightly in disapproval. No one could possibly say that she hadn't done her best, she privately asserted. He had never wanted her help to begin with and now that he was getting better at walking away from her, he had begun refusing it completely. He was stressing the leg far too much in his hurry to get back to the cane and it was only going to end him up the worse for it. She had said as much, five times in fact, and had gotten nothing but grief for her trouble. Let him dig his own grave, she had finally decided.

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Cameron walked through the door into the physical therapy office just in time to see House picking himself up off the floor.

"Looks promising," she said with a smirk, having learned by now that sympathy would get her nowhere.

"I could just as easily be learning to fly, for Christ's sake," he muttered bitterly but flashed her a tight smile just the same which she took to mean that he was actually okay.

She walked over to the physical therapist, whose name was Susan, unaware of the woman's most recent thoughts as well as the fact that, by inviting conversation, she was opening Pandora's Box.

"How's he doing?" she asked lightly. The woman's answering fury broke over her like a wave and her eyes grew wide with shock for a moment before settling wearily on House.

"How's he doing? How's he doing?! How the hell should _I_ know? _I'm_ not allowed to have anything to do with it! _He's_ the damn doctor! Ask _him _how he's doing," Susan shrieked, on the edge of hysterics. After her initial outburst subsided, she continued muttering spitefully for quite some time. "Cane on the wrong leg…too soon to be using the damn thing anyway…_Tried_ to tell him…Won't listen to reason…Stubborn ass."

Through all of this, Cameron just stared placidly at House with slightly raised eyebrows. She had long ago become accustomed to his…effect on people and nothing really surprised her anymore.

-----

Five minutes later, they were out in the hall, having been dismissed by the physical therapist with several papers on therapeutic exercises and a disgruntled sigh of, "Don't know why I bother."

House was ambling along beside her with a therapeutic quad cane grasped defiantly in his right hand and leaning close to her on his left side in case he got off balance, though he was doing an admirable job of making it seem like her idea. When they were about half way down the hall, Cameron stopped and turned to look at him with an impish smirk. She started chuckling and shook her head.

"Do you have to alienate _everyone _you meet?"

"What I live for. Besides, stop and think about what she was trying to do. That was one relationship that was doomed for failure. She's too tightly wound anyway."

"Oh yeah, _that's _what went wrong." Cameron rolled her eyes.

"C'mon, people like her make me itch."

"Meanwhile, everyone else is allergic to you."

"Except for you."

Cameron sighed. "Except for me."

They walked along a few paces more before House turned to her with a questioning expression on his face.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"Wilson got hung up with a patient and asked if I would take you home."

"Sheesh, who needs enemies, huh?"

"You have plenty of enemies and Wilson isn't one of them. He really did have a patient."

"Yeah, I figured."

"So, how long until you're back limp-sprinting down the halls here anyway?"

"Well, I say a few more weeks. Little Susie seems to think I'm an idiot."

"Maybe you should listen to 'Little Susie' for once."

"Oh, Ye of Little Faith."

"Yeah, I just don't want to hear you bitching when you find out you've stressed yourself into another month's physio," she said dismissively, though a frown turned down the corners of her mouth.

House looked hard at her. "You're doing it again. You're worrying about me, aren't you? Cameron, we've had this discussion before. You know I hate it when you do this."

"I can't help it!"

"I'm fine."

"You're not! Not yet. You will be…but right now you're not so don't bullshit me House."

A long pause extended between them. Cold and uncomfortable.

"I know you're still in pain," she said quietly.

"_I'm always in pain!_" House reminded her incredulously. "I have been for seven years. I will be for the rest of my life," he concluded bitterly.

"Not like this."

"How would you know?" he spat hatefully at her.

"Because I can see it. I can feel it and it's making me miserable."

House's whole body froze and tensed and his blue eyes turned to cold steel. "You know," he said numbly, "I think I've had this conversation before. And I still remember how it ends."

It took Cameron a moment to understand why House had reacted the way he had and to realize that he must be talking about Stacy. When she did, she froze too but for a different reason. She tried to explain; to reassure him. But he was beyond hearing.

"House, I didn't mean that. How could you think…I would never," she stammered but he didn't even look at her.

"Just go home. I think I'll wait for Wilson."

Cameron was caught between feeling terrible for him since it was obvious that he thought she would abandon him, and being furious with him for the same reason. In the end, she decided it was better to let Wilson tell him he was being stupid than risk ending up in a shouting match with him outside Cuddy's office. She brushed away an angry tear and whispered, "_Fine,_" before walking sharply past him on her way out of the hospital.

* * *

**A/N: **Bit of hard earned drama in this chapter. You'll just have to read Chapter 11 to see how it turns out. I'm evil that way. Mwahahahahaa… 


	11. Bitter Hearts

**A/N: **Welcome to part two of the angst. Part two of three I think.

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Bitter Hearts**

James Wilson walked out of his office and nearly tripped over House, who was sitting on the floor outside his door. After a startled curse and a moments' ungraceful stumbling, he looked down to see that, even though his feet were caught up in House's legs, House hadn't even acknowledged him. He had apparently been staring at the floor between his feet before Wilson arrived and was now staring, just as blankly, at Wilson's ankles.

"House?" Wilson asked carefully.

House merely blinked and continued to stare.

"Huh," said Wilson with a shake of his head. "Can't believe the janitor just _left_ this here. I'll go call him and let him know." He started back through the door to his office.

"What do you want?" House asked without looking up.

Wilson turned to stare at House, his mouth falling open slightly in disbelief.

"Oh…what everyone wants, really. Love, acceptance…to know why you're trying to kill me."

"Oh, don't be so dramatic."

"What happened?"

"Depends on what you're talking about."

"Cameron was supposed to pick you up today. Either she didn't show or she did and left without you." He paused to collect his thoughts. "If she didn't show or called to say she couldn't make it…either way, you would have barged through my door without knocking half an hour ago. Which means something happened between you two and you're trying to avoid talking about it by pretending you can't see me. Very mature, by the way."

House finally met his eyes with a glare. "Are you done?"

"So, what happened?"

"Nothing. I'm fine," House said forcefully.

"Right…I'm not driving you home until you tell me, by the way."

House hauled himself to his feet. "I can't believe you're going to make me drag my crippled ass home just to prove a point."

"Now who's being dramatic?" Wilson said with a weary smirk, gesturing toward his office. "Get in here."

-----------------------------

Cameron was fuming. She couldn't believe House thought she was sick of him. She just couldn't _believe_ he had so little faith in her. She paced around her living room agitatedly. Finally, she stopped and slumped against the wall, feeling drained. What was wrong with him anyway? What was wrong with _her_? They hadn't even been fighting. How could everything have gone so wrong with so little warning? Maybe they were both more stressed out than she had realized.

She knew House was getting impatient, and though he didn't talk about it, he probably felt a little discouraged too. Since he had gotten up out of the wheel chair, progress had been getting slower. It was to be expected but she knew that didn't keep House from getting frustrated with his leg and with himself. Sometimes it was hard for her to remember that just because he wouldn't talk about them, didn't mean that the emotions weren't there. It was hard for anyone to picture House with feelings, but the truth was, he wasn't all that different from anyone else. His gauge was just usually set to miserable, it seemed.

She tried to remind herself of this and to not get angry with him, but part of her still felt stung. She wondered if he would ever really trust her.

------------------------------

Wilson stared at the top of his desk in silence for a moment.

"I seriously doubt that she meant it like that," he said reasonably. "I mean, she married a guy with cancer. This has got to be a breeze compared to that. You know Cameron; she was probably just worrying out loud."

"Yeah, maybe," House said, noncommittally, staring out the window.

"The way you reacted, you probably scared the crap out of her."

House didn't answer. He'd been wondering about that. If she hadn't meant what he'd thought, how badly had he just screwed up?

* * *

**A/N: **This one was kind of short but it was really only a transitional chapter. There will be more actual action in the next chapter, which will be up very soon. 


	12. Across The Lines

**A/N: **Okie-dokey. Lets see what we can do about this situation shall we? I had this one ready, so I decided to go ahead and give it to you since the last one was so short.

**jeevesandwooster: **I know how you feel. Some angst is important, but I don't rejoice in it the way some authors seem to. After a while, it seems to become harder to write and I grow frustrated with it. Call me sappy, but I'd rather write the good times than the bad. Heck, all they do is fight on the actual show so why bother with the story at all? LOL

**ZivaJade: **Yeah, Wilson makes a fantastic plot device as well as being just indecently fun to write for. :-D

Thanks for the reviews and for reading. Now here's part three!

**Oh, and if I could make one teeny-tiny request:** It would be great if, just for this chapter, everyone who reads could leave a review. Even something really short. I'd just like to know how many people are actually still reading. Thanks everybody!

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Across the Lines**

House stared at the white door in front of him. Wilson had taken him home to his apartment but he had called a cab after the oncologist left. Now he was standing outside of Cameron's apartment with a sense of foreboding gnawing at him. His rational mind knew that he had to clean this wound out before it had a chance to fester, but the socially inept dumbass he usually was didn't know where to begin. Finally, he raised the handle of his cane and rapped on the door.

He knew that Cameron would realize from the knock that it could only be him, yet when she came to the door, she still looked surprised.

"How did you get up here? The elevator's broken."

"Yeah, kinda noticed that. Had plenty of time to think about it too, on the way up."

He had popped a Vicoden before he knocked and he still couldn't put any weight on his leg but there had been no way he would admit defeat, call another cab and wait on the steps outside. And he wasn't about to call her from his cell and tell her to meet him downstairs. He hated being treated like a cripple. He wasn't about to start acting like one. So here he was, leaning heavily against her door frame, and secretly hoping she wasn't mad enough to send him straight back down those stairs. He glanced hopefully around her in search of a couch and she rolled her eyes and grudgingly opened the door wider to let him through.

House had been forced to lean against walls most of the way to Cameron's door and now that he was through it, there was nothing inside to hold onto. He had barely made it two steps when, much to his dismay, his leg simply buckled beneath him. Cameron made a grab for him but too late. He fell forward, catching himself with his hands just in time to stop the hardwood floor from breaking his nose. Cameron rushed over and knelt beside him, any anger apparently forgotten for the time being.

"Are you okay?" she asked uncertainly.

House smirked in spite of himself and shook his head ruefully. "Well, there goes my dramatic arrival." He leaned down toward the floor, taking a steadying breath and waiting for the pain to subside. Cameron, still snickering at his answer, leaned her forehead against his shoulder. House figured that she couldn't be _that_ mad at him and relaxed slightly.

-----------------------

A minute or so later, Cameron had helped House make it to her couch and they were now sitting next to each other, not touching, and staring straight ahead. Neither one felt very sure of themselves and now that the ice-breaker had passed, they were both left feeling equally awkward.

Cameron was the one who finally broke the silence. "You may have over-reacted…you know, before."

"What makes you say that?" House pressed. He could have just agreed with her but the asshole in him saw an opportunity to not admit he was wrong and he grabbed for it. But she knew better than to let him.

"Give me a break. You didn't come here to hear me promise that I'll love you always," she said dryly. "If that were the case, _I_ would have had to come find _you_. The fact that you're here means that you've realized you told me off for no reason and you were at least working up to apologizing to me. I'm not going to do this for you."

"When did you become such a bitch?" House asked. But when he looked at her, there was humor in his eyes.

"I learned from the best," Cameron answered sweetly. "Now, you were saying?"

"I…may have over-reacted. A little," he amended quickly. He cleared his throat. "Sorry," he added while staring at the wall.

Cameron rolled her eyes but seemed to accept his, albeit weak, apology. It was a bit of a miracle that he was here at all.

"Would you really have come looking for me?" House asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Eventually."

"Damn. I'll have to remember that next time."

"Next time, I might not be so sympathetic to your point-of-view." Cameron sighed. "Look, I know you think this is doomed to end up like your last relationship, but I really don't think so. I'm made of stronger stuff than you realize."

"So was Stacy."

"Doesn't seem like it to me. Hell, she almost left Mark too when the going got rough. She stayed with him on a technicality."

"And you married the dying guy. I know. At least you knew he was dying."

"Oh yes, _at least_," Cameron cut in snidely.

"You knew it was going to end eventually," House forged ahead recklessly. "Stacy knew it wasn't."

"Um, just a reminder…you're defending the chick that dumped you to the one who's still here."

"I'm just making sure you realize that this is not going to go away. You can't fix me."

"Oh, for the last time, _I don't want to fix you_! And I'm sick of everyone treating me like I think I'm Mother Teresa! I _like_ you! The way you are. For your own, damn, messed up self! Is that so hard to believe?" She had risen to her feet and was shouting at him.

"Kind of," House replied calmly. "But…" he slowed, hesitated. "Really?"

"Yes. Really." Cameron sighed in frustration and sat down again.

"Cameron?"

"What?" Cameron was sitting with her head in her hands and she didn't look up.

"What _did_ you mean?"

"What do you mean, 'What did I mean'?" She looked up at him wearily.

"You said you were miserable. Because of me." He wasn't looking at her.

"Not because of _you_. Because…because you're in pain, and you're upset, and there's nothing I can do about it. I don't want to fix _you_, that doesn't mean I don't wish I could fix this." She made a broad gesture as if to indicate everything; the situation. "I just wish you didn't have to go through this. Because…I love you."

Their eyes finally met and House's jaw went slightly slack. Until now, neither of them had put a label on what was going on between them. At least not out loud with any amount of sincerity. It was strange to hear her say it. No one, not one person, had said that to him in seven years. No one since Stacy. It was an odd sort of feeling to realize that you were loved again after such a long time. He realized his mouth had gone dry.

It was only by sheer force of will that Cameron continued to meet House's eyes. It had felt good, almost cathartic, to finally say it. But now she was left waiting for the fall-out.

"I love you too." It seemed to House that the words had been wrenched forcefully from him. And with them, some gate that his heart had kept locked for a long time. A swell of emotion burst forth from that new opening and, while his logical mind knew that the high would fade, he allowed himself, at least for the moment, to be shaken by it.

* * *

**A/N:** Well there's the end of the arc. I was happy with the way this chapter turned out. Especially since I approached it with no game plan whatsoever. I hope you guys liked it too. Thanks for reading and (hopefully) reviewing! 


	13. After the Storm

**A/N: **Hey, who said thirteen was a bad number? Look! I brought gifts!

Also, someone asked if end of the arc meant end of the story. It doesn't. It's just the end of that little segment. The end is still a little ways off but it is in sight. I am planning a sequel though. Actually, I intended to just make this even longer but I've decided to cut this off at the end of his recovery and have the sequel start a few months down the road when everything is back to normal. That way I can lighten the tone a little.

Thank you sooo much to everyone who reviewed! I'm glad to see so many people still following it! This one goes out to all my awsome reviewers! You know I love ya! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: After the Storm**

Allison Cameron returned to work the next morning as though nothing had happened. It was Friday; the end of a long and tiresome week, and she intended to spend the evening with House, so it was no surprise that her thoughts were elsewhere when Foreman approached her in the conference room. She jumped forcefully in surprise when he cleared his throat and then struggled to regain her composure with a minimum loss of dignity. He only smirked in response. As her eyes rested on him in query, however, his face, once again, became serious and resolute.

"I heard you and House had a fight yesterday." He wasn't interested in beating around the bush.

"How nice of you to mention it," Cameron replied, half bewildered, half annoyed. "How did you come across that piece of information?"

"A nurse saw you two arguing in the hall and then later, caught House stewing outside Wilson's office."

"And how nice of _her_ to pass it along," she sighed.

"So what did he do?"

"That's not really any of your business," Cameron replied guardedly. She didn't feel the least bit inclined to point out that _she_ had been the offender not House. She knew House well enough to know that he would rather people think he was an ass than realize he experienced petty trivialities like _human emotions_. The very notion would give him indigestion for days.

"Right…well, whatever it was, I hope it's made you think twice about this thing between the two of you. If you really dig deep, I know you'll see that this just isn't meant to work. It's nobody's fault…well, maybe it's his…It just doesn't make any sense."

"You're wrong," she said, bristling on Houses' behalf.

Foreman sighed. "Look, I'm just worried about you..."

But that was the wrong thing to say.

Cameron's eyes suddenly darkened. Her voice, when she spoke, was cold. "I don't need you to protect me. We aren't _friends_, remember?"

Foreman knew immediately that he had backed himself into a corner. His shoulders slumped in defeat and it was a testament to just how angry Allison Cameron could look, that he left the room without another word.

Cameron sighed and rested her head in her hands. Did _everyone_ feel so strongly that this was a mistake? She wasn't a child and she wasn't half so naïve as everyone seemed to think she was. Why couldn't anyone believe in House? Why couldn't they believe in _her_?

------------------------

"So I heard our two love-birds had a spat." Dr. Cuddy approached James Wilson with raised eyebrows. "No one seems to know the reason. Care to enlighten me?"

"What am I, Houses' public representative?"

"He needs one," Cuddy responded with a laugh.

"What he _needs_ is a full-time spin doctor."

"And you're only part-time…" she smirked.

Wilson let out a long-suffering sigh.

"_So_…" she needled.

"I don't know. Cameron made some flippant remark about the situation with Houses' leg making her miserable. Just worrying out loud about him, nothing serious. But House got déjà vu about Stacy and lost it with her and she ended up leaving him here. I dropped him off at his apartment last night…I don't know if he's done anything about the situation or if he's going to. I haven't talked to him yet." He shrugged. "Not much more to tell. I haven't seen Cameron yet today either so I have no idea."

"Interesting…I think I'll pay a visit to our Diagnostics department."

Wilson looked at her in surprise.

"Well, it's not every day I get a chance to get ahead of the rumor mill," Cuddy said deviously. "Besides, House is always in my business; I would _love _to see his response when he finds out I've been in his."

With that, she turned and headed for the elevator, leaving Wilson to return to work with an amiable shake of his head.

------------------------

Dr. Cameron was sitting at her desk, answering her e-mail when the hospital's administrator walked in. The Dean of Medicine was rarely seen in this office unless a case became particularly complex or House did something particularly asinine…or some combination of the two, so it was with surprise that the young doctor regarded her boss's boss.

"How's House doing?" Cuddy asked.

"He's…okay," Cameron answered uncertainly, trying to figure out why the woman would be asking _her_ that when she could just as easily ask Wilson.

"And, um…how are the _two_ of you doing?"

'_Ah.'_ Word really did travel fast, Cameron mused. She sighed. It felt like she'd been doing that a lot today. "How much were you able to get from Dr. Wilson?"

Cuddy's lips twitched slightly at the younger woman's immediate and accurate assumption. "He said you inadvertently said something that reminded House of the last time with Stacy and House over-reacted. He drove House home last night but doesn't know the story from there."

"House came by my apartment last night with a weak, but nevertheless sincere, apology. I accepted it. We made nice. It's already history."

"That's it?" Cuddy asked in mild surprise.

"Yep."

Cuddy didn't look convinced.

"C'mon, I'd have to have thicker skin than that to get involved with House in the first place," Cameron joked lightly.

"Well, that's a relief."

"You're rooting for us then, are you?" said Cameron glibly, meeting the other woman's eyes.

"Yes," Cuddy answered simply. "You're good for him."

"He's good for me too."

"That's harder for me to believe, but I suppose anything's possible." She eyed the younger doctors' face. "You look relieved."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Foreman and Chase are convinced that I'm making a huge mistake and bracing to pick up the pieces as we speak. It wouldn't change anything, obviously, but it is nice to know that the _entire_ world isn't standing in line, waiting to say 'I told you so.'"

"Well, that's not to say you won't have your hands full with him." Cuddy smiled. "Good luck."

"Thanks."

Cameron watched the Dean of Medicine leave the room and couldn't help but feel a little bit better about the day.

------------------------

Later that evening, Cameron knocked on House's door and heard him bark from the other side that it was open. As she entered, she caught sight of him laying on the couch and smirking up at her.

"It's good to see that you still knock…a few minutes earlier, though, and you would have passed the hooker on her way out." His eyes widened comically as if he were imagining just how awkward _that_ would have been.

Cameron rolled her eyes, but found herself oddly soothed by his familiar banter. It had been a long day and a long week and even though this was technically his place, not hers, it was the first time in a while that she had really felt at home. She dropped her stuff by the door and walked over to the couch, giving him just enough time to draw his legs up slightly to make room before plopping down at the other end.

"How was your day sweetie?" he asked in a sickeningly sweet tone that caused her to let out a snort of laughter. However, he did seem genuinely curious, so she proceeded to inform him of their current publicity. When she had finished, he sat quietly for a moment, apparently thinking. Then curiosity clearly got the better of him and he asked, "So what did you say to Foreman?"

"I told him that I didn't need his protection and reminded him that he didn't consider me a friend," Cameron replied, raising her chin slightly in defiance.

For a brief moment, House beamed at her in unabashed pride. "That's my girl," he said with a wicked grin, reaching out to drag her closer to him and scooting over to make room. She squished up next to him, laying along-side him on the sofa with her head resting on his chest. She could feel his heartbeat, strong and steady against her ear and in that moment, nothing else mattered in the world.

"You know," said House thoughtfully after a pause, "the shit hit the fan and I forgot to mention it, but Little Susie the physical therapist cleared me for _strenuous activity_ yesterday." He raised his eyebrows suggestively, practically leering at her.

It took Cameron a moment to process what he had said but when she did, the contented sleepiness that she had felt a moment before vanished completely. Her happy surprise must have registered a little differently on her face though because he suddenly began to backtrack at an alarming rate. "Unless…you don't want to. Which is fine. I didn't really mean…"

He stopped when she placed two fingers over his lips and then, without ever taking her eyes from his, she pulled him up from the couch; waiting patiently while he collected his cane. The dynamic between them was drastically different from a few minutes ago as they made their way toward his bedroom; their hearts beating wildly in their chests. They had both wanted this for longer than they had been willing to admit.

When they had reached the bedroom, their actions took on the aspects of a ritual. Article by article they undressed each other, stealing kisses in between. Slowly building their momentum. Each trailed kisses over the other as their bodies were exposed, eyes closing in ecstasy as sensitive skin was discovered and explored. House sat down on the edge of his bed to remove his pants and when he was done, Cameron surprised him by gently pushing him back and moving over top of him. Claiming his mouth for a moment, their tongues danced desperately before she pulled away to more fully investigate his, now naked, form. Her lips trailed over his broad shoulders and she pressed kisses to his chest and stomach. House would never be able to fathom what she saw in him, but he could no longer doubt that she saw it. He closed his eyes, focusing on sensation alone, but then opened them again. She was frozen in her place atop him and he wondered why.

Cameron's gaze had lingered only briefly on the mangled knot of flesh on his right thigh. She had seen the scar before, and while it was a shame; what had happened, she accepted that it had and it altered nothing for her. The object of her alarm was much smaller and more unassuming: a small oval marking on his abdomen, just below his ribs. Its brother, on his neck, had been mostly obscured by a fresh growth of stubble over time, but here, on bare skin, a bullet wound was still clearly visible. Her breath hitched briefly as she flashed back to the first time she thought she had lost him.

House felt Cameron trail a finger over the small scar that, most of the time, he forgot he had. After all, it seemed trivial when compared to the one, so clearly visible, that had changed his life forever. The look on her face, told him that she thought it was anything but trivial and although he was astounded that it could mean so much, he finally understood.

"Allison." Covering her hand with his, he tasted her name for the first time and was amazed at how easily it came to him. Pulled from her reverie, her eyes met his in surprise before slipping back down to rest on the offending patch of skin. "I'm alright now," he said firmly, still amazed that it mattered so much to her. For a second more, she stared and the spot before pressing a gentle kiss to the sensitive scar tissue. Finally, she smiled, looking a little embarrassed at her own reaction.

He used this moment to take control and slide her underneath of him. Although it strained his leg nearly to the limit, he remained where he was, lowering his lips to hers, claiming her mouth, demanding entrance with his tongue. She moaned softly against him when she felt him slide a hand between her thighs.

Slowly, he entered her and the pain in his leg melted instantly away; consumed by a wave of pure sensation. They moved together, finding their rhythm, intensity building with each thrust. He heard her cry out his name as she reached her climax. "Greg." And it sounded so simple, so sweet from her lips that it undid him. He moaned in his release and as he came crashing back to Earth a stab of pain reminded him who he was, but that was alright too and for once he felt no shame when he collapsed against her, his leg needing a rest.

After a moment, he moved to roll over, to give her space, but Allison's arms were around his waist and she held him where he was, murmuring "I love you," against his neck. A moment later, he did move. Firmly claiming his side of the bed for the night, but he leaned over to place a decisive kiss on her mouth.

"So…I guess I should cancel that hooker for later, huh? Unless you're up for…"

She smacked him playfully on the arm and he didn't object when she curled against him and settled in for the night.

* * *

**A/N: **See, I told you I had brought gifts. Hehehe…that made me happy. :D Hope I did it justice. And hey! This chapter is the longest ever! Let me know what you think! 


	14. Still Broken

**A/N: **Sorry about the wait everyone! This was originally going to be a two segment chapter, but I was taking so long with it and it's already pretty long so I just decided to post it. I hope you all enjoy it!

Thanks so much for all of your wonderful reviews last chapter!

**ColorOfAngels & Limaccia: **The bullet hole thing was one of those plot points that just hit me upside the head while I was writing the chapter and it became something kind of special to me about that chappie, so I'm happy that it stood out to you too.

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen: Still Broken**

Allison Cameron awoke in the middle of the night and for a moment, she couldn't figure out why. Then she understood. The bed beside her was empty and House was nowhere to be found. Over the course of the last week, she had gotten used to waking up beside him. Technically, she wasn't living with him, but that didn't stop them from finding all manner of excuses for her to turn up each night. And now, here she was again. But this time, she was alone.

Cameron stood up and made her way quietly across the floor. The bathroom door was open and the light was off, so that possibility was discarded. She continued down the hall toward the living room but no lights were on anywhere that she could see. She began to get worried. As she entered the living room, she felt his presence and glanced instinctively toward the baby grand piano that adorned the far corner. There he was; silhouetted by moonlight that was streaming in the window.

House was staring at the keys without playing a single note. His posture was tense and rigid and finding him this way did little to relieve her concern. She turned on a lamp and he looked up in surprise as if he hadn't even noticed her arrival despite his usually hyper-acute attention to detail.

"House…?" Cameron began in a worried tone. She started toward him without another thought. "Greg, what's wrong?"

She noticed his limbs were shaking slightly and one hand gripped spasmodically at his damaged thigh. His breathing was tight as well and just a little too shallow. She laid her hands gently on his shoulders, feeling the muscles there knotted with tension.

"What's happening?" she asked, fighting down the note of panic that threatened to crack her voice. "Is it your leg?"

House nodded tightly.

"Not _again_…?" she asked in horror.

"Not that bad," he managed to respond.

"How bad, then?"

"Bad. The Vicoden isn't doing its job." His voice, like his breathing, was sharp and a little erratic.

Cameron leaned against him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders from behind. She could feel the beginnings of a cold sweat, dampening his skin. She realized that she didn't know what to do for him.

"Is there something that you need? Something I can do?"

"Nothing to do but wait it out."

"This has happened before?" She felt startled at the thought.

"It happens from time to time. Just go back to bed. I'll be in, in a minute."

Allison hesitated. It didn't feel right to leave him like this but she knew that he didn't want to be coddled, no matter what condition he was in. So, she pressed a gentle kiss to his neck and left him to sort it out alone.

---------------------

Later that night, Cameron lay in bed, caught up in indecision. On the one hand, she knew House wanted his space to deal with this and she didn't want him to feel like she was hovering over him. On the other hand, she was determined to barge straight back into the living room to reassure herself that he was no worse off than when she'd left him. For two hours she had debated this within her head. _He said he'd come back to bed and he hasn't. What if he couldn't get up? What if he had passed out? What if… _But here her less emotional side would step in. _He's a grown man and he can take care of himself. And he's only about a hundred feet away in any case. If he needed help, he would call for it. …But what if he wouldn't? What if he just didn't want her to know? She wouldn't put it past him…_

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and she jumped out of bed, prowling toward the glow of the lamp that she had left turned on. She found him asleep on the couch, features relaxed, chest rising and falling with steady regularity. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Then she saw it. On the coffee table next to him, a box sat open. Next to that was a glass bottle mostly filled with a clear liquid. She inched around the couch and her stomach clenched at what she saw: A tourniquet, still hanging loosely from one hand; a syringe lay discarded on the floor. She leaned over and picked up the bottle. Morphine. Her heart sank.

---------------------

House woke to find the first rays of sunlight playing on the wall. He stretched languidly, enjoying the fact that his pain had receded to its usual, manageable state. As he moved to sit up, he got the distinct impression that he wasn't alone. There was Cameron, curled up in the chair across from him. The bottle of morphine was sitting on the table, closer to her than to him. He knew that he'd been caught. For a moment, he was reminded of the morning he had awoken in the hospital to find her beside him, but the image faded when she opened her eyes. In them, he saw, not relief and joy this time, but sadness and confusion and a certain amount of betrayal. He sighed inwardly, bracing himself for the hell that was about to break loose.

But it never came. Allison Cameron wasn't interested in telling him off. In fact, she didn't even seem to know what to say. Somehow, that only made it worse.

"Why?" she finally asked him; big hazel eyes, more green than blue today, pierced his solemnly.

"I told you, the Vicoden wasn't working…"

"There had to be something else. There had to be a better way."

"There wasn't!" he yelled, feeling defensive.

"Yeah, of course. Not any way as easy as that at least. For someone who's always pushing people to take risks, you sure do take the high road every chance you get."

"I was in pain!" he bellowed. "You have no idea what it's like. What I did was necessary!"

"What you _did_ was illegal. Where did you get that shit anyway? I guess you stole it from the hospital, huh?"

"So what if I did?" He was loosing steam though; growing uncomfortable with the direction this was taking.

"Right. Well I'm getting rid of it." Cameron grabbed the bottle and headed to the sink.

"I don't think so," House growled, intercepting her roughly. Then he stopped abruptly, the bruising grip on her upper arms falling slack when he saw her face. He felt the bottom drop out of his stomach when he realized what it meant. She was afraid of him.

All of the times they had argued, all the times they had gotten in each other's faces, even when he had backed her into a corner, she had never looked at him like that. Regardless of the stupid shit he'd done, she had always trusted him. The look in her eyes now told him that she wasn't sure anymore. And that scared the crap out of him. _What must he have looked like, coming after her, when he had been thinking only of the drugs and the pain? What would it have taken for her to loose faith in him so quickly?_

---------------------

Cameron swallowed hard and stared at House, trying to stay calm and stand her ground. Her body was tense under his aggressive hold. She always tried to give him the benefit of the doubt; and even now, deep down, she didn't think he was capable of anything too horrible. But she was aware that she was skating on thin ice and she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with that fact.

She didn't know what the story was with the morphine, except that it couldn't be too bad since he hadn't shown any of the tell-tale signs of a drug addiction so serious. Beyond that, she didn't need to know right now. What she _did_ know was that pain makes people do stupid things; House most especially. And so, in this moment in time, she allowed herself to prepare for the worst.

She wished that he weren't quite so tall.

---------------------

House shuddered and dropped his hands from her arms. Stepping back, he couldn't look her in the eye; afraid of what he'd see there.

"Go…go ahead," he acquiesced quietly. As she walked to the sink on shaky legs, he dropped back onto the couch. His leg was yelling at him again but he knew better than to think it was a physical affliction. His leg had a pesky habit of acting as a moral compass and it was letting him know he had screwed up. Badly. House scrubbed a hand across his face, rubbed his eyes with his fists, and then rested his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands; allowing his punishment to wash over him.

He supposed it had been a pretty stupid thing to do; although, he had been known to do stupider things than that when he was in pain. No, he wasn't particularly sorry about the morphine, though part of him was sorry about how Cameron had taken it. The only thing he truly regretted was his reaction to her. He had come across like a crazed addict. He definitely could have handled it better.

The truth was; he wasn't really addicted to the morphine. It was more of a fail-safe, and he had only used it two times before. What had caused his reaction was the fear of not having that safety net to fall back on when the pain got bad. The pain could be mind-numbing; soul-crushing when it wanted to be and he was afraid to be left alone with it. No one knew what it was like, to have it haunt you the way it did; to never know when it would rear its ugly head. He had used this as an excuse for many of the crazy, stupid, awful things he'd done through the years, but not even his twisted psyche could think of an excuse to justify what he had seen in Cameron's eyes. Allison's eyes. _Would he lose her over this? Or would they hang on a little longer? How badly was this going to end?_ He sighed and pushed the thought away, refusing to deal with it now.

When Cameron returned, the steely glint was back in her eyes. At least she had stopped looking nervous. That was a definite improvement. She was still "clenched" though and he didn't know what to do about it. He wasn't sure there was anything he _could_ do about it. He didn't know if he would say he was sorry. He didn't want to. If she didn't make him, then he wouldn't, he decided.

"Just…prove to me that there's a reason I'm not telling anyone. Don't do this again," she pleaded quietly.

House nodded tersely, staring at the floor.

"You'll be alright without it," she asserted. "You've just been overdoing it lately. Just take it easy and consider actually _following_ a few of the doctors' orders," here she laughed dryly as though she doubted it, "and things will go back to the way they were."

"Can they?" They both knew he wasn't talking about his leg.

"Yes," Cameron said resolutely. "I know you wouldn't hurt me. But you _did_ have me freaked out for a second there."

House nodded again and made to stand up. His leg refused to bear the weight though and he stumbled alarmingly for a moment. Allison rushed forward, grabbing him before he hit the ground.

"I'm getting better at this," she smirked.

He rolled his eyes in mild annoyance with this statement but his gaze softened when he felt her lean her head against his chest. Slowly, instinctively, his long arms wound their way around her body, pulling her closer. He could feel her breathing and smell her shampoo and for an instant he knew that this had to last because he didn't know what he would do if it didn't.

"I'm sorry," he murmured against her hair, and it annoyed him that he meant it.

"I know."

It also bothered him that she didn't sound surprised. That was something he was just going to have to get used to, he supposed.

"C'mon, it's Saturday and I'm still tired. Let's go back to bed."

He couldn't disagree with that, so after finding his cane propped against the couch, he hobbled down the hall after her, noticing that his leg felt a little better already. _The damn thing was worse than Wilson._

* * *

**A/N: **Okie-dokey. Bit of angst there. I don't know if I'm really going to address the drug thing with this story or not…I'm leaning towards 'not' because I sort of feel like there's been enough trouble already, but I'm open to suggestions. Really, I just wanted to show that he's still the same guy with the same problems and the Cameron is willing to deal with that and not let it destroy what they've got. And at least for now, that is where it begins and ends. 

Also, all you Wilson fans out there will be happy to know that a large part of the next chappie has been planned from Wilson's POV. That's always a good time. :D


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